Posted by Get Your Facts Straight
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Dec 3, 2018 at 5:35 pmGet Your Facts Straight is a registered user.

Funny. The article says: "Nearly all of the people reporting concerns last year opted for a formal investigation process, "while the more rarely used informal resolution may have better served the parties," the report states.

They write that the individuals who opted for the formal process "did not appear more satisfied when compared to other means to resolve most of these matters."

Clearly, as the parties opted for formal resolutions, which were not convenient for the district, the district thinks that they did not appear more satisfied.
What metrics did the district use?
Given the district's language, it is clear that they have not learned any lessons from the past, and that it would be most dangerous to allow them to pursue informal agreements.

Posted by Get Your Facts Straight
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Dec 3, 2018 at 5:55 pmGet Your Facts Straight is a registered user.

@What's the frequency: Read the article and the quote. The parties opted for formal procedures. The district claims that the parties would have been just as satisfied with the informal route. It is the district who needs to do the explaining of their stance that the informal route is better.

Posted by The Public Interest
a resident of Charleston Gardens
on Dec 3, 2018 at 6:47 pm

The District doesn't want to actually have to go through a formal process, required under State UCP regulations; instead they want everyone to agree to a shortcut that suits them --- an informal process with few agreed upon procedures --- great for a district which had repeatedly fallen short of complying with anti-discrimination laws (4 year OCR investigation of 8 past incidents--- 2 additional sexual assault incidents that happened while PAUSD was being investigated that PAUSD did not disclose). Cultural and systemic issues that remain --- and this presentation demonstrates that.

Posted by Drake B
a resident of College Terrace
on Dec 3, 2018 at 8:04 pm

Itâ€™s hard to give any credibility to a report by two District employees on this matter. Where is the outrage from the District that a historic year in UCP complaints shows that there is something seriously wrong with the culture at our schools? Perhaps a better approach for the District would be to welcome UCP complaints so that they can make sure that they are protecting students, and providing a safe learning environment for all children. Parents and students who come forward with UCP complaints should be welcomed, rather than the Disrcit focusing on pushing people to an informal route that would help the District avoid negatives newspaper headlines.

Posted by Don't do anything extra
a resident of Downtown North
on Dec 4, 2018 at 8:25 am

Why should investigating a sexual assault require formal procedures? Let's do it informally! Better yet, let's not even investigate it at all! That's the tack PAUSD has taken since 2011 -- with the incidents we know about. Yes, let's make sure to encourage informal resolutions, or better yet, no resolution at all! Less costly that way --- more money available to pay salaries to staff, for not doing what they're supposed to.

Probably won't happen to your child; just someone else's child. They'll be out of there soon anyway.

Posted by Don't do anything extra
a resident of Downtown North
on Dec 4, 2018 at 8:46 am

@pgm
Here's some history as I think you're referring to Title IX ---- although there are CA state anti discrimination laws that say the same thing, so not just Title IX:

Title IX was enacted as a follow-up to passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The 1964 Act was passed to end discrimination in various fields based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in the areas of employment and public accommodation.

Here's Title IX language:
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

No reference to college athletics in that language. But reference to discrimination.

Posted by Presentation?
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Dec 4, 2018 at 1:56 pm

Yah, sending them to Presentation was a great idea.
No, actually, it would not matter which private school. They keep those issues under wraps so not to present a bad image. That's why you don;t hear about it.

Posted by Alum
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Dec 4, 2018 at 2:50 pmAlum is a registered user.

If the formal procedures for complaints were seen as less taboo and as a tool to actually help resolve such situations, PAUSD would be a lot better off. Anecdotal, but to me it seems that is still not the case.

The UCP itself is not even that "formal". There is a lot of leeway in the investigation and how it has to be conducted. It can be delegated to the site level, evidence gathering is mostly unrestricted. The main thing that the policy does is limit the amount of time a case can drag on for and ensure resolution/closure.

Posted by Meanwhile
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Dec 4, 2018 at 4:14 pm

Yes, everyone wants a formal investigation until it's their son or daughter who is being accused of doing the bullying or harassing. Still missing the discussion about how we can raise children who don't bully/harass on campus and off.

Posted by Ombudsperson
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Dec 4, 2018 at 4:26 pm

"They write that the individuals who opted for the formal process "did not appear more satisfied when compared to other means to resolve most of these matters."

Of course they opted for a formal process, because the district culture is still one of trying to avoid doing the right thing, favoritism, and retaliation if people make waves because they disagree with being treated like mushrooms.

And of course they are less happy, because no one wants to have to go through any of that. But the district gives people no choice.

When the district shows that it's willing to be proactive about coming to terms with the retaliations towards families and make things right (as is their legal and ethical duty), and demonstrates a soul for long enough to be trusted, then there will be fewer formal complaints.

Why are there non-Title IX complaints? I have been under the impression that the effort is only around Title IX, such as it is.

Posted by kids
a resident of another community
on Dec 6, 2018 at 11:57 amkids is a registered user.

Tim,
county and state gave up oversight a long time ago. Not sure why. Probably money.

I have told my kid to never speak to any staff at the school unless they have their own representative present as a witness or are allowed to videotape the entire conversation. They also must agree to put every word into a document. Too many realy bad things have happened at this school not to do this.Teachers should also do this for their own safety. Private and catholic schools are not safe. Funny to see someone thinks paying more money will buy safety!! Look at the Priest lists of local abuses or scan any school with the word "conviction" and you will see that kids have no guarantee of safety anywhere. You have to teach them how to be safe at home and teach them their legal rights which is good to do and useful throughout life.Does it seem to others that crimes against children are increasing, or is it that they are being reported more?

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